The Benefactor Cat
After finishing my part-time shift, I was on my way home. Under the car parked right in front of my house, a cat was crying with a pitiful meow. The rain was coming down so hard that even under the car its fur was already soaked through. It wasn’t even a full-grown cat—it felt only slightly bigger than a kitten. As I walked past, I somehow couldn’t bring myself to ignore that wailing calico.
So I opened one of my emergency rations at home. It was a tuna can that could have been my own tear-soaked meal. Using the tuna as bait, I slowly lured the cat inside by cracking open the front door. My place was a first-floor unit, nothing like the villa Yuna lived in. Once the rain stopped I could just let it back out—that was what I told myself.
…I never expected the little thing to refuse to leave.
“Then can I come to Oppa’s house to see the cat?”
“…Huh? My house?”
You—coming to my house? My face stiffened in surprise for a second. I knew there was no deeper meaning. Yuna simply loved cats and wanted to see it, that was all. Still, this would be the first time I’d ever had a girl over. Was it really okay to invite her so casually? No, my house was far too embarrassing to show anyone.
When I hesitated, Yuna’s expression slowly turned to disappointment. Her shoulders even drooped. Just how badly did she want to see that cat?
“…Is it not okay?”
My favorite’s plaintive voice and those sparkling eyes were an attack no Uniz could possibly withstand.
“No, it’s not that it’s not okay… I’m just a little embarrassed about it.”
I kept my gaze pinned to the table and scratched at my thigh with one finger. The house was small and a bit dirty. I was worried Yuna would be disappointed if she saw it. My thoughts grew more tangled by the second.
“What are you so embarrassed about~. All lived-in houses are pretty much the same, aren’t they?”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
She wasn’t wrong. People’s homes weren’t all that different anyway. She probably wasn’t expecting anything fancy from a male college student’s solo apartment.
“If you don’t like the idea it’s fine. I’m not forcing it or anything.”
Yuna spoke like she had already given up. Yeah. Chances like this didn’t come often. She wanted to come to my house. And it wasn’t even to look at the house itself—just to see the cat living there. Did I really need to overthink it? I could just clean like a maniac before she arrived.
“No, come if you want. I was only shy about it.”
“Really? Yes! What’s the cat’s name, Oppa?”
Yuna leaned across the table, eyes bright with excitement. The cat’s name? I hadn’t even thought about one. I never planned to keep it in the first place; it simply refused to leave.
“I haven’t named it yet. Come to think of it, I never considered giving it a name.”
Even at the vet I had just written “Calico” in the name field. I never actually named it.
“Want to name it yourself? I have zero talent for naming things.”
Anyone who’s seen my League of Legends nickname knows that. It was lazy and didn’t capture any of the cat’s traits.
“What? I can really name it? Even though it’s your cat, Oppa?”
“Yeah. I think the cat would like a name from you way more than from me.”
If I were the cat, I wouldn’t want me naming it either.
Yuna’s eyes sparkled even brighter at my answer. Hey, slow down or you’re going to start drooling. Calm yourself.
“What does it look like? Do you have a picture?”
“I don’t have any photos either.”
“Huu… Then it’s hard to come up with a name. I need to see its face to get the right feeling.”
“Should I send one through KakaoTalk later?”
“Yes, yes. Then I’ll think of a name for you.”
It looked like Yuna was far more interested in the cat than I was. She scooped up another forkful of cake and popped it into her mouth.
“When are you free, Oppa? Is there a good time for me to come over?”
“Anytime I’m not at school is fine.”
I didn’t have much going on anyway. I spent most of my time at home, so free hours weren’t exactly rare. As long as she didn’t burst in while I was editing clips, she was welcome anytime.
“Then is next Sunday okay?”
“Perfect. Want to come then?”
“Yes. I’ll bring a ton of cat treats and toys as a housewarming gift.”
Wasn’t housewarming for when you moved? But I already knew what this was. She had gone full fangirl mode. Once Yuna entered that state, no one could stop her.
While our conversation burned hot with cat talk, our cakes had long since vanished. It was about time to part ways with Yuna.
“Shall we head out now?”
When I asked, Yuna nodded eagerly. We returned the plates, left the café, and walked to the bus stop. The ride home was the usual familiar route. In front of the villa Yuna waved at me.
“Oppa, I’ll head in first!”
“Yeah. See you next Sunday.”
After saying goodbye to Yuna in front of her place, I went back to my own house.
…Next week is going to be great. For real. Lately my life had been filling up with more and more enjoyable things.
The moment I stepped through the front door I heard a cry.
—Meoooow.
As soon as I came home the calico acted like it was welcoming me back, crying loudly and rubbing its face against my leg.
“You want food?”
I knew from the internet that cats only approached humans when they needed something. Sure enough, the food bowl was completely empty. I poured kibble into the stainless-steel bowl I had bought not long ago.
“You really are cute.”
Watching the calico crunch away at the food made me smile without thinking.
“Thank you, little one. You’re my benefactor.”
I thanked the calico that had created a connection between me and Yuna. I wondered if it even understood how I felt. The cat simply buried its head in the bowl as if it knew nothing at all.
Rua-nim and Joint Broadcast! Tournament Practice!
I was already shaking as I typed in the title. Joint broadcasts weren’t my favorite type of content. I had always preferred streaming alone. But if anyone asked why I joined the tournament anyway, the answer was simple: there was too much to gain even if I had to sacrifice everything else.
The prize money was decent, it was a chance to grow my channel, and I could escape content worries for a while. Coming up with new ideas and bringing in fresh games was genuinely exhausting.
“Huu… It’s fine. I’ll do well.”
I took one deep breath and pressed the start-stream button. Viewers flooded in as usual, and the chat window shot upward.
I explained the situation while watching the chat reactions.
The moment I saw the chat my blood pressure spiked. These people know my personality… and they’re doing this on purpose. Sure, the whole “tool theory” was partly my own idea, but it was for the sake of entertainment. And you guys enjoyed it too! Be honest!
I quickly typed a reply.
One of the reasons I hated collabs was right here. I was the classic strong-against-weak, weak-against-strong type of streamer. I could roast introverted viewers for fun, but the moment I met an extrovert I tucked my tail and went quiet.
The chat slowly shifted toward Rua. I quickly took control before the mood could turn strange.
But… I really am worried. Rua-nim is really good at talking. I’m already nervous.
Right then a message arrived from Rua-nim saying she was ready. Huu. It was finally starting. I steeled myself and gave one last statement.
The way they said it gave me zero trust. Kids… I closed my eyes and connected to voice chat. A bright, cute, energetic voice immediately filled my ears.
The moment I heard that extroverted, high-energy voice my mind went blank. Ah… it’s already exhausting. What do I do? Kids, save me…
“…Ah. Yes. Hello.”
“Yes~! Hello! Yuni-nim, but your mic seems way too quiet. I can barely hear your voice.”
“…Is that so?”
It wasn’t the mic that was quiet—it was my voice. Fighting back tears, I forced myself to raise the mic volume. I had a feeling this collab was going to be painful.